Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about this kind of therapy and about how we might work together. If you don’t find the answer to your question below, feel free to drop me a line using my contact form, and we can talk it through when we speak.
How do I know if I need therapy?
Most people can benefit from therapy, and from having someone trusted to think alongside. You don’t need to be in crisis, or to know what the matter is – therapy is a place where you can bring things we can’t yet name, explore what might be going on and begin making sense of things at your own pace.
What is this kind of therapy like and what should I expect?
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is a free-flowing talk therapy. You don’t need to have the right words or a perfectly organised story, and we will move at a pace that feels right for you.
In our early sessions, we will take time to explore your history, to talk about what brings you to therapy, and to think together about the goal of the work. What brings someone to therapy is often a symptom – low mood, a feeling of being lost or stuck. What we are looking for together is what lies underneath.
I encourage you to share with me whatever comes into your mind during our sessions – thoughts, memories, emotions, even those things that might seem strange or unrelated. These things can be clues, communications from the unconscious, which we can explore together.
I will be happy to answer any questions you might have when we first meet, and encourage you to read this short primer, What Should I Expect in Psychotherapy? by Dr Jonathan Shedler, which provides a very useful introduction.
What might change?
With growing awareness and understanding comes an ability to begin to make more conscious decisions, and to be free of that which no longer serves you. What tends to follow is a fuller sense of connection to ourselves and our loved ones, and a sense of ease and freedom in our lives that may have felt out of reach before.
Is our work together confidential?
Yes, what you share in sessions is kept confidential. However I am required by the UKCP to regularly discuss my work with a supervisor – an experienced psychoanalytic psychotherapist who will also hold confidentiality. In these conversations I do not reveal names or personal details.
Very occasionally it may be necessary for me to contact another professional, particularly if I feel that anyone’s safety is at risk – but never without discussing it with you first.
Your contact information will be held in accordance with GDPR.
How long do sessions last and how often will we meet?
Sessions last 50 minutes and take place once or twice a week. I don’t offer twice monthly sessions as this can impact the success of the therapy.
What is your fee?
We’ll agree the fee before we begin our work together. I keep a small number of low-cost places for people who couldn’t otherwise come. If that might be you, just ask.
How long will therapy take?
Attachment-based psychoanalytic psychotherapy tends to be open-ended work, which unfolds gradually. This allows us to work at depth and makes meaningful change possible. We may work together for several months, or several years, depending on how long you wish to continue. We can discuss this question during our first meeting together, and revisit it along the way.